We tend to take the Earth’s magnetic field as constant and somewhat for granted. Yet David Freeman reminds us, through his journey into palaeomagnetism, that the Earth’s field is anything but fixed. Ancient rocks chronicle dramatic polarity flips and intensity dropouts. The Laschamps event, for example, saw the field fall to just 10% of normal 41,000 years ago. Good news for early humans looking for a tan, bad news for the milky white auburn-haired Neanderthals, maybe? And magnetic anomalies abound. Michelle Starr reports for Science Alert that a Vast Anomaly in Earth's Magnetic Field Keeps Growing, Satellites Reveal. Over the last decade satellite data has shown that the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), a vast weak spot in the south Atlantic between Africa and South America, has expanded by an area the size of continental Europe (i.e. by quite a lot, but not as much as if it has expanded by, say the size of Siberia). The SAA stems from odd magnetic flux reversals beneath the region. A giant blob of super-hot material known snappily as the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province may be disrupting convective flows, causing the field’s anomalous behavior. Not wanting to leave anyone out, David Freeman from Above the Norm News shows up with another magnetic anomaly in the Pacific Scientists Find Proof of a Repeating Magnetic Weak Zone Over the Pacific and It’s Due Again. This time the misbehaving magnetism shows itself only periodically, with a weakening of the Earth’s magnetic field under the West Pacific (aka the West Pacific anomaly). These disruptions in field strength and complexity, prompt scientists to speculate about future global shifts and unforeseen technological headaches. Maybe these are true anomalies or maybe they just show us the limits of our models, while Earth carries on regardless. (JS)

Oz Pearlman is a mentalist who has gone viral with his ability to read people (not minds). This 60 Minutes interview with Pearlman is fascinating to watch and will have you searching for the Joe Rogan podcast where Pearlman guessed Rogan's banking passcode. It's amazing what 30 years of practice can achieve. After watching this interview, if you're not convinced something incredible is going on, you'll be pleased to read Oz Pearlman’s Magical Powers. Frankly we think spying on a future subject just so we could "guess" something about them later seems like a lot of effort without sufficient payback, but that's just our opinion. The point is, we should always be on guard for fakes, and it's never a bad thing to know how hoaxers operate. Caveat Emptor, and all that. (CM)

Ross Coulthart reprises a July 2024 conversation with Dr. Michael Masters mulling over this headline topic. Things ramify very quickly in the conversation, as both Ross and Michael discuss how Masters has been "forced to reconceptualize reality as somewhat more malleable" than what we're used to. The paper they discuss by Masters and two Harvard colleagues, The Cryptoterrestrial Hypothesis: A Case for Scientific Openness to a Concealed Earthly Explanation for Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, was published in October 2024's Philosophy and Cosmology. Both discussants recognize the late Mac Tonnies' book The Cryptoterrestrials: A Meditation on Indigenous Humanoids and the Aliens Among Us, published by Anomalist Books, as eerily similar to his own writing style as well as scientific views. And while properly highly critical of Graham Hancock in many areas, Masters senses "we all need to embrace some humility and recognize that we don't have all of the answers with regard to archaeology, with regard to history, and with regard to the UFO phenomenon." That last, and for all subjects The Anomalist covers, is the fundamental takeaway from this conversation. While much of the Coulthart/Masters interchange is interspersed with the academic problems Masters has faced, the last fifteen minutes of this Backscroll touch upon the David Grusch lawsuit against the Loudoun County, Virginia, Sheriff's Department. This case was dismissed on August 7 of this year, demonstrating the continuing great costs of UFO witnesses coming forth. (WM)

While most readers here will be fairly familiar with the history and details of the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP), George Knapp's short special report is a strong summary for all and a hard-hitting view/read for newcomers. And the "zingers" at its conclusion definitely should surprise and intrigue most everyone. "Thoughty2" introduces another intriguing matter in The Government Hid This Photo Until 2022. Now We Know Why. Here's a British version of AAWSAP and Project Blue Book, plus a now-famous case full of secrecy, with details about its investigation and revelation. It's also an entertaining and clear exposition. And an historical out-of-this world international mystery gets a Georgetown University/Library of Congress scholar's attention in Megastructures on Mars. Professor Dagomar Degroot's Aeon article is a truly fascinating look into the potential societal and cultural impacts (and they're not all bad) from discovering Non-Human-Intelligences, or at least believing such detections have occurred. (WM)

Photographer Shannon Taggart presents a series of essays that explore the relationship between photography, spiritualism, science, art, and belief. The essays accompany an exhibit at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The first is Every Picture is a Ghost: Photography and the Invisible. The second is Psychic Possibilities: Spirit Photography in the 20th Century and Beyond. The third is Can You Imagine Anything Better? Christine Burgin on Spirit Photography and Conceptual Art. The fourth is What is a Photographer if Not a Paranormal Investigator? In Conversation with Patricia Voulgaris. And the fifth is I Don’t Pretend to Have the Answers: Rik Garrett and Kirlian Photography. Each essay is thoroughly engaging and profusely illustrated. (PH)

Durham University Archeologist Paul Pettitt proclaims the objection to Neanderthal cave wall art is now dispelled, although it's "non-figurative." They even created what we'd call today "installation art." Pettitt presents the dating evidence he feels conclusively proves his contentions. For monumental architecture "only" constructed around 3,000 years ago, the Oldest Known Maya Monument Could Be a Map of The Universe, says Michelle Starr. The discoverers of a truly huge "cosmogram" make a series of interpretations one hopes do prove "we don't need really big social inequality to achieve important things." Tim Newcomb describes a Scottish conundrum as Archaeologists Discovered a Mysterious Underground Chamber from an Ancient Civilization. Identified by 1960s aerial photographs consulted preparatory to construction of a new road, excavation of the remains began in 2022, and there's no way that conclusions as detailed as those about the Mayan monument can be made at present. And finally we have Jason Colavito's Filmmaker Claims "New Evidence" of Egyptian Atlantis Knowledge, But It's Just Plato. Jason's rather better at archaeology than ufology, methinks. (WM)

The international aspect of UFO-interest resonates with Dr. David Clarke's results from the initial "National Folklore Survey for England." Clarke here focuses on UFO-related topics, comparing the English findings with those from Canadian and U.S. samplings. Clarke promises more results over the next 12 months on the numerous other folkloric topics, and links to the survey website. Close to that Land of the Rose, there's a UFO Frenzy Across Ireland As 'Strange Light' Seen 'Moving Very Quickly' In Sky. Apparently many Emerald Isle skywatchers still think the eventual explanation of human-caused is blarney. Over to the Western Hemisphere and Tim Binnall's Mexican Politician Shares Footage of Eerie Orbs Floating Around His Property. Whether or not Jaime Rodriguez is touting his ranch as a "Skinwalker South," the imagery is intriguing. And Tim has a "weird piece of footage" from the U.S. with a Strange Flying Saucer Filmed in Wisconsin. Which at least raises the question whether there really are "ordinary" flying saucers! (WM)

James Houran is the president of the Society for Scientific Exploration, editor of its Journal of Scientific Exploration, and co-editor (with Rense Lange) of the book Hauntings and Poltergeists: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. In this presentation for the Rhine Research Center, Houran offers a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to studying ghostly episodes, which he sees as a unidimensional syndrome with a hierarchical structure of 32 core anomalies. He sees the sociocultural context as profoundly shaping how these experiences are interpreted and reported, and thinks that psychological sensitivity (transliminality) combined with paranormal belief predicts who experiences ghostly episodes. It's noteworthy that he emphasizes the importance of citizen science and multidisciplinary team science as being essential for advancing research in this field. (PH)

The Festival of the Unexplained was held this past September at the Bosworth Hall Hotel and Spa, a 17th century mansion  in Nuneaton, UK. Ashley Knibb describes it as "one of those rare gatherings; which is a blend of curiosity, community, and shared fascination that reaffirms how much more there is still to learn about the world around (and perhaps beyond) us." The event was attended not only by paranormal enthusiasts, but also researchers and investigators. Of particular note was a talk given by Junior Paranormal Events: Guiding the Next Generation of Investigators. JPE's mission is "to educate and inspire young people aged 9 to 17 through structured, responsible, and ethical learning in the paranormal field." The organization is not about attention-grabbing, rather it teaches young people how to think critically and question what they see, hear, and feel. Knibb describes this as the "heart" of any good paranormal research. Methodology is emphasized over chasing spooks willy nilly, and this discipline transfers into more than just paranormal work. (CM)

A trio of items from The WOW! Signal News Service, starting with Dr. Lisa Puzo Strickland's two possible explanations for UFO-related experiences: a skeptical "haunted frequency" ambient electrical field producing strange hallucinatory and physical effects, and the "opening up" percipients to a "real" "aspect of reality." Each cause could help explain why some people are, or become, "repeater" witnesses. CJ Arabia has another term for this class of people, in the title of her article Extreme Experiencers & Doomsday Prophecy. Arabia's reference to "cult-like groups of followers" reminds us of another recent event in which "The Second Coming" was forecast and some believers made resulting irreparable life changes, as well as older examples such as "Heaven's Gate" or lesser, yet still-life-altering choices. And Wow! Signal co-founder Dan Harary mulls over that ufological "Holy Grail" quest for Capital “D” Disclosure – Mankind’s Ultimate Carrot on a Stick. Faced with the reality that we all may be Don Quixotes in our own lifetimes, Dan reflects upon why "the Disclosure Movement must keep moving forward." But given the apparent reality, "our 'civilian' colleagues are just ill equipped to embrace the fact that this stuff is REAL," and some of us are becoming increasingly concerned that not enough is being done to understand how to prepare those "civilians" for such an Event, human-or-NHI-initiated, should it occur. (WM)

Whether or not you believe in the forces of evil, the case of the possessed Annabelle doll as homed and bound by Ed and Lorraine Warren raises questions around the nature of greed, ethics, and family ties. It seems those connected with the infamous doll are now embroiled in legal battles that are ultimately about control and money, disputes catalyzed by the Devils on the Run Tour organized by the New England Society for Psychic Research. Family members accuse one another of exploiting Annabelle for profit even while insisting they are protecting the Warren family legacy. And Annabelle? The doll enjoys fame, traveling about the country when not housed in its custom built and bound case, and if it has any thoughts, they no doubt would be that its work here is done. (CM)

Two Tel Aviv University scholars have woven together "circumstantial and solid evidence from archaeology, paleontology, anthropology, biochemistry, nutrition science and more" with an "energetics-based model" to explain the Late Quaternary Megafaunal Extinction and the winning-out of our particular human type over others. Thankfully Ruth Schuster explains the process in a clear and entertaining manner. Micah Hanks says a 4000-Year-Old Labyrinth Discovery, Dubbed “One of the Most Important Archaeological Finds” of the Century, Brings New Life to the “Myth of the Labyrinth.” Micah tells the story and great significance of this 2024 discovery of a unique Minoan-period structure unearthed during construction for Heraklion, Crete's international airport. Enter Jason Colavito, bemoaning another case where archaeology comes to grips with the Present, but with highly controversial impacts. See Michigan County to Build $2 Million Museum to Promote Pseudohistorical Claim. Ending on an instance where history may have conquered numerous obstacles, Afar presents The Long-Delayed Grand Egyptian Museum Is Finally Open—and It Was Worth the Wait. Bailey Berg notes the Gizeh-area structure fully opened on November 1st, after a construction period perhaps fitting for a Great Pyramid. All of Tutankhamun's tomb artifacts (well, maybe just about all) were moved from the 1902-era Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo's Tahrir Square. Though not mentioned in the article, Early Dynastic and pre-Dynastic artifacts will be quartered in both museums. (WM)

If you're able to bear any thoughts about what the future holds, you might contribute them to the Glimt project. The somewhat nebulous premise of it is, put simply, that if enough people think a certain thing will happen, it will. This method of "Group Forecasting" was "launched by the Swedish Defence Research Agency" and it reckons that the Glimt platform for predictions and discussions will help Ukraine to understand "the world and its evolution." Similarly looking to the future, Jacqueline Burt Cote tells us that Nostradamus Made This Catastrophic Prediction for the End of 2025. The ancient prognosticator is once again wheeled out to perplex us with his forecast. In this case, his writing seems to indicate a comet striking the Earth, mass extinction, big trouble "from the Eastern sides," and the appearance of an "aquatic empire" leader. The first three are, alas, within the bounds of possibility, but the fourth? With only a couple of months to go before 2026, we don't have to wait long to know if was correct.(LP)

A five-year project by the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego aims to better understand "interoception—the process by which the nervous system monitors and interprets internal physiological signal," aka the sixth sense. Ideally, writes Tim McMillan, this study will allow scientists to map out how physical and emotional states are intertwined, and how "the brain keeps the body in balance." Then again, Forget The Sixth Sense: New Study Says The Human Brain May Be Wired For Seven Senses. A new project out of King’s College London, Loughborough University, and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology indicates that the way in which we retain memories is connected to the number of dimensions in which those memories are formed. Writes Tim McMillan: "The study poses the question: How many senses does an intelligent system need to remember the most about its environment?" Research points at two more over our typical five:  proprioception, our awareness of body position, and equilibrioception, the sense of balance. These seven senses may represent "the sweet spot where perception, learning, and memory remain maximally efficient." (CM)

The "spirit" of the Halloween season lingers in these articles. Bill Maher's discussion with The Age of Disclosure Director Dan Farah makes some serious points that seem to impress reporter Tobias Carroll. We continue the "scary" theme with Richard Dolan's Inside "Magic Eyes Only"-The Case for UFO Retrievals with Ryan S. Wood. The number of UFO crash/retrievals has long been a contentious ufological topic, with most ufologists, one thinks, tending towards a "minimalist" side. But as Richard and Ryan note, David Grusch's testimony about a crash-retrieval program has energized the discussion, and we quite appreciate Wood's rating system approach. And The Observer reports about Aliens and Ghosts in the Library Basement at Ypsilanti, Michigan. Raymond Szymanski's presentation about spooky doings at Wright-Patterson AFB gets high ratings, and his handling of questioning (fair and snarky) afterwards much impressed us. (WM)

As our latest interstellar visitor starts its way out of the solar system, debate continues about its natural or artificial origins, or " Evidence of Aliens, or Mass Loss Through Evaporation?" as a subtitle puts it. Micah Hanks summarizes the latest data, differing projections, and potential conclusions in the somewhat attenuating controversy. A very significant conference just concluded at Lake Maggiore, Italy, and Andy McGrillen covers it well in Sol Symposium 2025: Event Highlights, Key Speakers, and Exclusive Interviews. Andy gives his personal impressions and summaries of some of the first-day talks, and interviews with speakers Dr. Iya Whiteley and Jeff Nuccetelli, both of whom had special takeaways. Whitely appreciated the international location and flavor of the Symposium, and Nuccetelli had frank remarks and some intriguing information about the recent Congressional hearing at which he testified. Australian Keith Basterfield reviews the entirety of The Latest SOL Foundation Symposium. Keith also directs us to "some minor 'bombshells'" from Austrian journalist Harald Havas at SOL Foundation Symposium 2025. And on the US government and UFOs relationship, Ross Coulthart and Michael Ramsey report that the Feds Ask Private Sector To Watch For UAPs, Other ‘Unmanned Systems’. While the videos aren't especially relevant, the short text with its flyer link refers one to two new documents that do speak strongly to the headlined FBI initiative. And the Network and Host of the UNRELEASED David Grusch Interview Are Revealed! by Psicoactivo's Pavel Ibarra, courtesy of a Ross Coulthart comment and Pavel's follow-up work. (WM)

The December 1980 events in Suffolk have been called "England's Roswell" for good reasons, including the controversies created by witnesses, real and possibly imagined. Here a key figure gets his chance at rebuttal to allegations aired in a previous Ross Coulthart interview. Retired Lt. Col. Halt makes no bones about his differences with others' versions of the events, and provides a plethora of details that certainly reflect poorly on the military/civilian intelligence sector. Going 'way back to an even more controversial case, Secret Dallas contributor Colby Smith offers North Texas’ Own X-File: The Century-Old Tale Of A Crashed UFO And Alien Burial Just Outside Fort Worth. Smith sketches the event and its sequelae of what was likely a "Big as Texas" tale. The Wow! Signal takes seriously the question: Was The 1965 Kecksburg UFO Crash A GE Mark 2 Reentry Vehicle?. Owen Eichler's years of work on this explanation certainly make for interesting reading, and we wonder what Kecksburg researcher Stan Gordon makes of it. And Podcast UFO host Martin Willis welcomes Donald Schmitt, on Mentor, J. Allen Hynek. Don's enthusiasm for the subject is contagious and his knowledge of the Center for UFO Studies' early days is priceless. Martin throws in a remarkable "human-interest" story reminding us that ufology is indeed as much about the people involved with the phenomenon as it is with our target Mystery. (WM)

Kids are creepy little beings at times. When they start staring at things that we can't see or talking to make- believe friends that are more than just pretend, they can be terrifying. (Think Poltergeist and the They're Here scene.) For one thing, it's their lack of a filter; they just express what they are experiencing (spooks!) without thought to the potential cardiac issues it might cause in the adults around them. Ghosts? Notes Kate Haas, "It turns out that infants are actually able to spot things we adults don’t notice, mostly because of their sensitivity to changes of light we can’t see." Unsurprisingly, Most Americans Say They Have Experienced at Least One Paranormal Event. As you're reading through these YouGov findings, take note of the fact a haunted house would in no way deter a real estate transaction if the price was right. Nor would the revelation that a tragic event unfolded on the premises. This is how we end up with scary kids and feature length movies!  (CM)